Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross scheduled trips for students in different grade levels to attend certain cities. Now they are scrambling to change those plans and include stops that aren't closed.

Because these are educational trips, administrators are looking at the shutdown as a teachable moment on how government works.

Principal Dr. Misty Overman said the important part is that students bond over the trips, and there are still plenty of places for them to visit.

ATLANTA -- There was little change in SAT scores between Georgia's Class of 2013 and Class of 2012, the Georgia Department of Education announced Thursday.

About 75 percent of Georgia's high school seniors took the SAT in 2013, compared to 43 percent nationally. Georgia students earned a collective score of 1452 out of 2400 -- the same score as last year. The national average is 1498.

Overall, Georgia's senior increased two points in critical reading and decreased two points in math. The overall writing score stayed the same from 2012 to 2013. About 36 percent of Georgia's test takers met the SAT College and Career Readiness Benchmark.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Nearly 30 elementary, middle and high schools in Gwinnett County have been named to Georgia's 2013 SHAPE Honor Roll.

The SHAPE (Student Health and Physical Education) program was created last year to recognize schools that work hard to combat childhood obesity. It challenges students and teachers to make lifestyle improvements in three key areas: nutrition, wellness and physical activity.

ATLANTA -- Georgia's Path2College 529 Plan is making it easier for families to pay for college by holding two scholarship giveaways.

The deadline to enter both contests is Thursday, Aug. 15.

Mitch Seabaugh, director of the Path2College 529 Plan, said the two sweepstakes are designed to encourage families to start saving for college while their children are still very young.

"If 10,000 more Georgia families start saving for college, that's 10,000 more children who will have a head start toward achieving their dream when they graduate from high school," he said in a statement.

Seabaugh added that the sweepstakes also benefit young students because they provide money for schools and libraries.

The first contest -- the 10,000 Reasons to Save Sweepstakes -- will gives $10,529 to two lucky winners: a current Path2College account holder and a non-account holder. The two winners' schools will each receive $10,529.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. -- Gwinnett County Public Schools will welcome all students back to class on Wednesday, August 7.

Spokesman for GCPS Jorge Quintana said some changes will accompany the new 2013-2014 school year, when over 166,000 students will be back on board for learning. Some of those changes include new faculty, new start times and construction on some campuses.

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- It's only mid-July, but many metro Atlanta students are preparing to head back to school.

Monday, July 15 is the first day of the 2013-14 school year for children at three Atlanta schools -- Boyd, Centennial Place and Hutchinson elementary schools -- and the Elite Scholars Academy in Clayton County.